Emerging
Published Jun 23, 2026Updated Jun 23 Major2
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Prisoner Transferred After Illegal Video Call Amid Militia-CV Gang War in Rio das Pedras
Three prison inmates, including 32-year-old Gerlan Anacleto de Oliveira, were transferred to maximum-security Bangu 1 prison on Friday after authorities detected illegal video calls from their cells. The transfer occurred amid an intensifying territorial war in Rio das Pedras, where nine paramilitaries recently defected from the militia to join the Comando Vermelho drug gang, sparking gunfights that disrupted public transportation and led to a bus seizure.
Quick Facts
- Three detainees transferred to maximum-security prison
- Illegal video calls detected from prison cell
- Nine paramilitaries defected from militia to join CV
- Gunfights between militia and CV
- Bus commandeered and used as barricade
A territorial dispute between militias and the Comando Vermelho (CV) drug trafficking organization in Rio das Pedras, a favela in Rio de Janeiro's southwest zone, has escalated into violence that now extends into the prison system. On Friday, June 21, 2026, the Penitentiary Intelligence Subsecretariat identified illegal communications involving three detainees suspected of ties to paramilitary groups, including 32-year-old Gerlan Anacleto de Oliveira. The discovery came one day after nine paramilitaries defected from the militia to join the CV.
As a security measure, the trio was transferred from Presídio Bandeira Stampa in the Gericinó Complex to Penitenciária Laércio da Costa Pellegrino (Bangu 1), a maximum-security facility also located in the same complex. Social media posts showed the three suspects allegedly used a mobile phone to make video calls outside the prison. While the State Penitentiary Police Secretariat (Seppen) confirmed the transfer, authorities did not disclose whether a phone was recovered from their cell. Gerlan, who faces nine legal proceedings, is identified in one case—investigating a motorcycle taxi driver's murder—as a militia leader in Rio das Pedras. He is the brother of 26-year-old Kauan de Oliveira Teles, suspected of leading the nine paramilitaries who switched sides.
On Thursday, June 20, the gang dispute intensified dramatically. A gunfight between the two rival groups forced ten bus lines to divert routes, with one bus commandeered by paramilitaries as a barricade in an attempt to attract police and prevent further CV attacks. The confrontation reflects deepening territorial losses for the militia in the region. Over the past two years, the CV has seized control of nearby areas including Tijuquinha, Morro do Banco, Muzema, Anil, and Gardênia Azul—all previously held by paramilitaries. Rio das Pedras itself, considered the militia's birthplace, has been the target of CV invasion attempts for over two years.
Kauan, considered a fugitive with a preventive detention order issued by the 3rd Criminal Court for homicide and two attempted murder charges, faces additional pressure. A judge's March 23, 2026 ruling described him as someone with a criminal personality, noting evidence of his militia membership in Rio das Pedras. Following the escalation, military police from the 18th Battalion (Jacarepaguá) engaged armed suspects in the Caranguejo locality on Saturday, resulting in three deaths, one arrest, and the detention of an adolescent. Two rifles were seized in that operation.
The territory of Rio das Pedras holds significant economic value, generating approximately 2 million Brazilian reals monthly for the militia. The Rio de Janeiro state government has a reoccupation plan awaiting approval by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), signaling potential state intervention in the escalating conflict.
Why This Matters
This incident reveals how territorial drug gang conflicts in Rio de Janeiro's favelas directly destabilize critical urban infrastructure and penetrate the prison system itself. For residents and commuters, escalating militia-versus-CV violence means disrupted transit, risk of being caught in crossfire, and potential state intervention that could reshape neighborhood control. For authorities, detecting illegal prison communications signals the need for enhanced facility security protocols. The broader pattern—CV systematically seizing militia-held territories over two years—suggests a significant shift in Rio's criminal power structure with implications for public safety, business continuity, and government resource allocation.
Timeline & Sources
Mar 23, 2026
Wire3rd Criminal Court issues preventive detention order for Kauan de Oliveira Teles for homicide and two attempted murders
Jun 20, 2026
WireNine paramilitaries defect from militia to join Comando Vermelho in Rio das Pedras
Jun 21, 2026
WireAdditional gunfights occur in Rio das Pedras; twelve bus lines diverted on Avenida Engenheiro Souza Filho
Jun 22, 2026
Wire18th Battalion Military Police engages armed suspects in Caranguejo locality; three killed, one arrested, one adolescent detained; two rifles seized